Amid a climate of tension following the attacks in Paris and the armed attack of a Mali hotel popular with foreigners, a French flight to the US deflected right route to return to Paris .
A Boeing 777-200 of Air France from Paris to San Francisco made a U-turn while flying over the Channel, as revealed air traffic control radars. It made several loops, before returning to France less than an hour after takeoff. The pilot did not report an emergency, it remains unclear why this change of route.
However, the passengers of the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris have been warned that all flights between Paris and the United States were canceled following the attack by an armed commando in a hotel in Mali on Friday 20 November. Some 12 members of the French airline staff there were held hostage before being evacuated. Moreover, the flight that would link Paris to Bamako was canceled.
RT en Français (via Google Translate)
Air France increases Paris (Roissy)-Havana flights
AIRFRANCE in winter season plans to operate additional flights on Paris CDG – Havana route. From 25OCT15, AF will introduce 11th weekly service (compared to winter 2014/15 season), while adding a 12th weekly service from 22DEC15. The 12th weekly flight that operates on Tuesdays as AF4012/4013 is served as a charter flight, therefore reservation to general public is not available.
AF940 CDG1045 – 1510HAV 772 3
AF940 CDG1045 – 1510HAV 77W 256
AF946 CDG1405 – 1825HAV 77W D
AF4012 CDG1630 – 2110HAV 343 2
AF945 HAV1750 – 0835+1CDG 772 3
AF945 HAV1750 – 0835+1CDG 77W 256
AF943 HAV2045 – 1135+1CDG 77W D
AF4013 HAV2315 – 1420+1CDG 343 2
Airline Route
Present for 17 years in Cuba, Air France supports the island’s tourist development and is the leading airline between Havana and Europe. The Company is offering up to 11 weekly flights this winter. In summer 2016, Air France will offer up to 3 additional frequencies to Havana from Paris-Charles de Gaulle compared to the 2015 summer season.
From late March to mid-May 2016, the Company will operate 10 weekly flights between the two destinations. From mid-June to late August 2016, Air France will offer 9 flight frequencies. For the entire season, there will be one scheduled daily flight.
Flight schedule (in local time)
Daily flight
AF946: Leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 16:30, arrives in Havana at 20:25;
AF943: Leaves Havana at 22:55, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 14:00 the following day.
Additional flight (up to three weekly flights during the 2016 summer season)
AF940: Leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 11:00, arrives in Havana at 14:55
AF945: Leaves Havana at 17:25, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 8:35 the following day.
In addition, Air France and Cubana de Aviación are involved in a code-share agreement allowing the Cuban national airline to offer over 30 destinations in Europe and the Caribbean thanks to the Air France network. Similarly, Air France customers can access Cubana de Aviación’s domestic market. Both airlines want to further develop their cooperation to continue to expand connecting traffic beyond Paris and Havana.
Since 2011, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has been connecting Havana to Amsterdam-Schiphol with 3 weekly flights in summer (on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays) and 4 in winter (on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays), operated by Airbus A330-200 with 243 seats.
In 2014, close to 420,000 passengers chose Air France or KLM to travel between Europe and Cuba.
FTN News
Delta Air Lines announces new Raleigh-Durham -> Paris flight
RALEIGH – Delta will connect the Research Triangle to the world with nonstop service from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport beginning May 12, 2016. The flights will be available for sale beginning Saturday.
The flight will operate in conjunction with the airline’s European joint venture partners Air France, KLM and Alitalia using 164-seat, Boeing 757-200ER aircraft.
“The Research Triangle is an important market for Delta, and our new Paris flight is the latest in a series of Delta investments in the region, both at the airport and in the community,” said Bob Somers, Delta’s Vice President – Global Sales. “For business or leisure, we look forward to serving our customers across the Atlantic as we strengthen our relationship with the region, and the region’s ties to the world.”
From Delta’s joint venture hub in Paris, customers can connect to more than 75 onward destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, increasing global access for a region with strong international ties through its world-class universities and global companies. The daily flight will be Delta’s 13th destination from Paris and the only nonstop link between the two cities.
“RDU and Delta Air Lines have been business partners for more than 40 years. During this time, Delta has increased its presence at RDU to meet the demand of our region, which it does today with nonstop service to 20 cities,” said Mike Landguth, CEO and President of RDU Airport Authority. “Today, we celebrate Delta’s latest expansion in our market with nonstop service to Paris’ Charles-DeGaulle International Airport. We thank Delta for its continued investment in our community and for connecting our region to the world.”
“Air service development, particularly international service, is a key element in the competitiveness and growth of the Research Triangle Park. Global collaboration and face-to-face communication supports research and opens economic development doors worldwide for the Park, our region and the state,” said Bob Geolas, CEO and President of the Research Triangle Foundation. “The future of the RTP is intertwined with RDU. Together we will ensure that those who enter our port of entry to do business in our region have a world-class experience second to none.”
Delta is the largest airline at Raleigh-Durham International Airport with more than 60 daily departures, and the new flight is just one component of Delta’s recent investments in the region.
The Delta Sky Club at RDU now offers enhanced food options, premium drink offerings, Starbucks coffee and an automated, self-service espresso machine. In August, Delta launched an alliance with Duke University to embed the airline and its employees in campus and alumni events, academics and career recruiting and counseling, all in an effort to become a lifelong travel partner to future customers. Delta also enjoys an existing marketing agreement with University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
Delta Air Lines